West Visayas State University

Janiuay Campus
(Formerly Janiuay Polytechnic College, Don Tiburcio A. Lutero Nat’l Comp.
High School, Janiuay Nat’l Comp. High School, Janiuay National
Vocational High School, Janiuay High School
Janiuay, Iloilo, Philippines
*Trunkline063)(033)317-1894 *Telefax No:
*Website: www.wvsu.edu.ph *Email Address: janiuay@wvsu.edu.ph

UNIT 5. Concepts
of Culture

Group 5 Subject Teacher:

Joy Penetrante Nancy Arellano
Lidgen Rose Consumo
Daniza Valentin
Leonard Anthon Matta
.
Components of Culture

1. Symbols- confers meanings to things

and events
2. Language- conveys the beliefs and
values of a culture

2
3. Values- ideas or principle which are
translated into norms

4. Norms-standards of proper or
acceptable behavior
Different ways to break down components of culture33

SURVIVAL
Food-edible source of energy

Clothing- protective covering for the

body
Defense- tools and strategies used to
protect people and their belongings

Shelter- structure use to protect people

and their belongings
 EDUCATION
-the way people in a culture learn what they
need to know in order to be successful in
their culture

TRANSPORTATION
-the way a culture gets
people and goods from one place to another
 Communication
-the way a culture shares ideas and
messages

ECONOMY
-the way people in a culture get what
they need and want
 TECHNOLOGY
-man made tools that make work easier

SOCIAL STRUCTURE
-who is considered important
in a culture and who isn’t
 BELIEFS AND TRADITIONS

-the ideas a culture believes in

and the way they celebrate those
beliefs
 RULES AND REGULATIONS
-the rules that maintain order in a
culture and the structure that maintains
those rules

ARTS AND RECREATION

-the way a culture spends its spare time and
expresses itself creatively
 Characteristics of a Culture

1. Learned
2. Shared
3. Symbolic
4. Integrated
5. Dynamic
 What is Cultural Relativism?

Cultural Relativism is a view

that no culture is superior to
any other culture when
comparing systems, morality,
law, politics, etc.

It is the opposite of cultural

ethnocentrism.
 Different Principles of Cultural
Relativism

Epistemological Origin- human beings

are not capable of direct, unmediated
knowledge of the world
Methodological Tool- relativism is an
attitude that is of fundamental
methodological importance
Heuristic Tool- similar causes produce
similar effects

Critical device- they believe anthropology

offers people enlightenment:
Cultural relativism often includes:

1. Cognitive relativism
Truth itself has no objective standard.

2. Situational Relativism
Right or wrong is based on the particular
situation
3. Moral relativism
Ethics depend on social construct

Later on, James Lawrence Wray Miller

divided moral relativism into 2 binary,
analytical continuum which are;
Vertical Relativism
-cultures are products of the prevailing societal
norms and conditions of their respective historical
period

Horizontal Relativism
- Cultures in the present are products of the
prevailing norms and conditions developed as a
result of their unique geographies, histories, and
environmental influences.
*Both of these analytical continuums shared a
basic conclusion that human morality and
ethics are not static but fluid and vary across
cultures depending on the time period and
current condition of any particular culture.
It is a term used in public policy making
that emphasizes the influence of cultural
capital on individual and community
behavior.
6 Factors of Cultural Change
1. Cultural Diffusion(Contact)
No society remains isolated from outside
contacts

2. Technology evolution
It is one of the most influential factor that
changes culture through the use of
technology
3. Geographical and ecological(physical)
the natural and physical aspect that affects
culture

4. Impact of ideas and Ideologies

Ideologies like fascism, democracy,
communism, socialism, humanism etc. have a
very powerful influence on the changing
pattern of the society.
5. Economic situation
Economic factors create new township,
cities, industries, factories which bring a
social change in a newly social form

6. Education
Educationists through their educational
ideologies bring a change in the society.
 EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL CHANGE
Religion Cultural Change

This happens when an individual change her beliefs

and ideas of the Creator where they undergo certain
rituals to legalize the act.
 EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL CHANGE

Native
Cultural
Change

A process that occurs when individuals

from different cultures come into
continuous contact with one another,
leading to changes in cultural pattern.
 EXAMPLES OF CULTURAL CHANGE

Permanent
Cultural
Change

A situation when contact with other

cultures and ideas are transferred
 Relationship between
social mobility and social
change
Social mobility relates to the ability of an
individual to move between social
classes or groups depending on the
circumstances.
-Social change is a broader concept

-A very mobile society can have a lot of

social change due to changing view
points based on the individuals
experiences
 Process of Social Change

Social change happens all the time

Social change is sometimes intentional,

but oftentimes optional

Social change is controversial

Some changes matters more

than others
 What is Intercultural Communication?
It is also known as cross-cultural
communication.
A discipline that studies communication
across different cultures and social groups
or how culture affects communication.
The verbal and non-verbal interaction with
speakers of other languages on equal
terms and respecting their identities.
 THEORIES
Social Engineering Effective
Outcomes

Cultural Convergence- the system as

a whole tend to converge over time
towards a state of cultural uniformity
Communication Accommodation Theory
-focuses on linguistic strategies to
decrease or increase communicative
distances

Intercultural Adaption
- involves learned communicative
competence
Co-cultural Theory
- refers to interactions among
underrepresented an dominant group
members.

Communication Acculturation
-attempts to portray “cross-cultural
adaptation as a collaborative effort of the
individual and the environment
Assimilation
- the process of absorbing the traits
of the dominant culture until it
indistinguishable from the host culture.

Alienation
- refers to someone who is
ostracized from other people with whom
they were expected to associate with.
 Verbal Communication

Spoken and written language are

parts of verbal communication.
Cultural factors affect verbal
communication as people can
sometimes not be able to speak
or write other languages.
It consists ofmessages being
sent and received continuously
with the speaker and the
listener and is focused on the
way messages are portrayed.
Consists of words to
communicate messages.
Factors that affect verbal communication:

 Tone of voice
 Use of descriptive words

 Emphasis on certain phrases

 Volume of the voice

Along with these attributes, verbal
communication is also accompanied by
non-verbal cues like,

 Facialexpressions
 Hand gesture

 Use of objects

 Body movements
 Non-Verbal Communication
Uses gestures that give out messages.

A behavior that communicates without words-

though it often may be accompanied by words.

It has been shown to account for between 65%

and 93% of misinterpreted communication.
 Types of Non-Verbal Communication

Kinesics’ behavior
-communication through body
movements

Object language or material culture

- -refers to how people communicate
through material artifacts.
 Types of Non-Verbal Communication

Occulesics
- a form of kinesics that includes eye contact
and the use of eyes to convey messages.

Proxemics
- concern the influence of proximity and
space on communication
 Types of Non-Verbal Communication

Paralanguage
- refers to how something is said, rather
than the content of what is said.
 Quiz!
Part 1

IDENTIFICATION
1. A term used in public policy
making sometimes called
repositioning of culture.
2. It is also called cross-cultural
communication.
3. A principle that is often
confused as moral relativism.
4. A claim that states “ Human
beings are not capable of direct,
unmediated knowledge of the world.
5. A cultural values where
cooperation and unity are shown.
6. Who is the one who provided the
two binary continuum namely
vertical and horizontal relativism?
7. It consists of messages being sent
and received continuously with the
speaker and listener.
8. A type of culture that includes all
society’s physical objects.
9. A factor of culture change bought
by the different political parties and
ideologies.
10. It refers to someone who is
ostracized or withdrawn from other
people.
 Part 2.
Multiple Choice
1. Confers meaning to things and
events.
a. Values
b. Symbols
c. Norms
2. Standard of proper or acceptable
behavior.
a. Language
b. Values
c. Norms
3.Celebrating the martyrdom of a saint.
a. fiesta
b. Bayanihan
c. Close family ties
4. A situation where culture is
transferred through contact with
others.
a. Religion cultural change
b. Permanent cultural change
c. Native cultural change
5.The process of absorbing the traits of
the dominant culture.
a. Alienation
b. Acculturation
c. Assimilation
6. It uses gestures to give out messages.
a. Occulesics
b. Verbal communication
c. Non-verbal communication
7. Characteristics of culture except one.
a. Symbolic
b. Proper
c. Learned
8. Communication through body
movements.
a. Paraverbal
b. Proxemics
c. Kinesics
9. Refers to how something is said
rather than the content of its
statement.
a. Verbal communication
b. Paralanguage
c. Interpretation
10. He added attention to the fact that
one’s culture can limit one’s
perception.
a. Franz Boas
b. William Summer
c. Immanuel Kant
 PART 3
ENUMERATION
1-2. Two types of culture
3-5. Characteristics of a culture
6-8. Intercultural communication
theories
9-10. Forms of Non-verbal
Communication
Answers(Wrong spelling will not be considered).

Identification
1. Culture change
2. Intercultural communication
3. Cultural relativism
4. Epistemological
5. Bayanihan
6. James Lawrence Wray-Miller
7. Verbal communication
8. Material culture
9. Political factor
10. Alienation

Multiple Choice
1. B 7. B
2. C 8. C
3. A 9. B
4. B 10. B
5. C
6. C
Enumeration
1. non-material culture
2. Material culture
3-5: Physical/geographical/ecological
Economic
Ideologies
Contact
Scientific/technological
Polotical
Educational
6-8: cultural convergence
communication accommodation
intercultural adaptation
co-cultural
acculturation
assimilation
alienation
9-10: Occulesics
Kinesics
Object Language
Proxemics
Paralanguage